A New Team Seven, An Unexpected Sensei I
by riderofsmaug
Summary: Sarutobi Hiruzen made a slight change to the graduation teams. He chose a different sensei too, one that no one expected. No one ever guessed that his choice would create a legendary team, one surpassing even the Sannin. Full summary in profile. Part 1.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Notes:**

This story assumes that you're up to date with the current manga. This story will contain spoilers. So, before reading this story, read the manga first.

Rated M for violence, swearing and non-explicit sexual content. No Yaoi.

Complete summary and other information about this story is on my profile.

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><p><strong>Chapter 1<strong>

Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Third Hokage of Konohagakure, sat at his desk, reading a sheaf of papers. Uzumaki Naruto, The jinchuriki of the Nine Tailed Fox, had finally passed his genin test the previous night in the most unorthodox manner, thereby evening out the team rosters. The boy's teacher, Iruka, had sent the Hokage dossiers on all the graduated students and a list of the teams which he thought would work best together.

The Third knew better.

On first glance, the teams appeared to be rock solid, the skills of the individual members balancing out those of the others. There was the second generation of the Ino-Shika-Chou trio, whose teamwork during the Third Shinobi War was legendary. There was the classic Hyuuga-Aburame-Inuzuka team, which had formed excellent tracking and hunter squads in the past. Finally, there was the traditional Team Seven, formed by pairing the Rookie of the year and the top kunoichi along with the dead last, which had produced surprisingly good results every year. Team Gai was an excellent example, being the only team to pass the final genin test the previous year.

He didn't look over the rest of the teams as he was almost sure they would fail. Such was the disadvantage of having a milder ninja training programme than the other ninja villages, Great or otherwise. While a larger number of candidates would pass the academy graduation test, most of them would fail the one given by their jounin sensei. Some of the ninja clans had pushed for a harsher programme, but he had refused. Konoha would have a larger number of functional civilians that way.

'Iruka-kun has a lot to learn', he thought as he smiled to himself. The man might be an excellent teacher and a decent ninja but he still failed to look underneath the underneath. He had divided the teams based purely on their skills, without considering their personalities. The Hokage had never discussed this issue with Iruka before because the teams he had built earlier had functioned well. However, this year's graduating class was unique. Eight, including Naruto, belonged to ninja clans. All of them were clan heirs. Such a situation had never happened earlier in the history of Konoha.

As Hokage, it was his responsibility to ensure that the teams were formed properly. Years of experience had taught him exactly what to look for. He began dissecting the problems with the teams formed by Iruka.

Team Ten. Yamanaka Ino, Nara Shikamaru, Akimichi Chouji. This was the only team that he would leave as is. The children were close friends from childhood and would work well together.

Team Eight. Hyuuga Hinata, Inuzuka Kiba, Aburame Shino. While this squad would be an excellent tracker squad, they lacked combat readiness. Kiba was the only member who was ready for direct combat. Shino, being an Aburame, was currently good only for scouting, tracking and subtle attacks. Hinata was a gentle soul who lacked confidence and the desire to inflict wounds upon an enemy. She would be better off serving as support until she was older and more mature.

Finally, Team Seven. Haruno Sakura, Uchiha Sasuke, Uzumaki Naruto. A pang of sadness struck him as he remembered how Kushina and Mikoto would've been ecstatic that their children would be on the same team. Kushina, in particular, would've been running around Konoha, yelling "Dattebane" at anybody who would (and would not) listen. Shaking himself out of his thoughts, he got back to analyzing Team Seven.

Sasuke and Naruto were badly damaged, psychologically. The former, due to his older brother's massacre of the Uchiha clan and the latter, due to being ignored and despised by most of the civilian and some of the shinobi population of Konoha.

He smirked as he began his plans to give both the boys what they needed. Bonds. He would keep both of them on the same team. Maybe drop some hints that their mothers had been best friends. Hopefully, that would get the two young shinobi to open up to each other and form a tentative friendship. Naruto's sunny disposition and stubbornness would do the rest.

Leaving Haruno Sakura on the team, however, was a bad idea. She came from a civilian family and had a huge crush on Uchiha Sasuke, like most of the female members of the academy. Instead of training, she spent most of her time making herself look good to attract the boy in question.

The Third sighed to himself as it was a waste of incredible potential. While her chakra reserves were about average for her age and gender, she had incredible control. When she wasn't in the presence of her crush, she displayed a sharp mind and excellent knowledge of strategy. She would be great as a medic-nin or as a genjutsu expert. Leaving her on the same team as Uchiha Sasuke would stunt her growth. She would spend most of her time pestering him for dates and staring at him instead of training.

Another negative factor due to her presence on the team was Naruto's attitude towards her. Naruto had a huge crush on the pink-haired girl and had been constantly pestering her for dates the last two years. The first few times he had asked her out, she had refused politely. After a week of constant pestering, she had taken to violently clocking him on the head each time he asked her out. The Third didn't blame her. Naruto refused to leave her alone and he could grate on your nerves after a while. Leaving her on the team meant that Naruto would spend at least half his time trying to impress her.

'Yes, she'll have to go. But where to put you, Sakura-chan...', he mused as he looked over the other teams. His eyes widened as they landed on Hyuuga Hinata's file. He laughed loudly as the very absurdity of his idea struck him. An Uchiha and a Hyuuga on the same team! Children of the clan heads no less! Especially when the two clan heads in question used to hate each other with a passion!

Five minutes later, the Third had shown no signs of stopping. The ANBU protection squad hidden in his office threw each other worried glances as they began to wonder whether the old man had finally snapped from the stress of his job. As the laughter died down, the Hokage smiled as the idea was perfect. It was well known to the shinobi population of Konoha that the Hyuuga heiress admired the Uzumaki. Hell, the only person who didn't know was Naruto himself. There was even an unofficial betting pool going around as to when he would find out. The Hokage himself, had placed his bet on "When she gets so frustrated with his obliviousness that she drags him by his ear into her bedroom, ties him down and has her way with him." That particular option, of course, had been added by Hatake Kakashi, who was as famous for being a pervert as he was skilled.

His own student, Jiraiya, The Toad Sage and Mitarashi Anko, the sexy, sadistic interrogation and assassination specialist had chosen the same option too.

His face took on a lecherous grin and blushed as he remembered how his late wife, Biwako, had done exactly the same thing to him when he was too nervous to approach her. THAT had cured him of his nervousness!

A muffled snicker from one of the hidden ANBU alerted him to the fact that they had guessed what he was thinking about and found it amusing. Glaring at the offender to shut him up, he began to reflect on his idea.

Hinata had shown herself to be level headed throughout the academy. She had, at least, grown out of her habit of...'observing' Naruto while he trained. Hopefully, being on the same team as Naruto would boost her confidence and motivate her.

Haruno Sakura, separated from the object of her obsession, would have a chance to mature and grow out of her obsession with the Uchiha. He just would have to select the right mentor for her.

The Third had made his decision. Hyuuga Hinata and Haruno Sakura would swap places.

'Now', he thought, 'to select the jounin sensei'. His face lost all traces of mirth as his thoughts fell upon Team Seven. While the other two teams would do well under normal jounin, Team Seven was different. Their sensei would have to juggle a shy Hyuuga, a hyperactive, loud jinchuriki who doesn't think before acting and an Uchiha with an obsession for power. The latter two, in particular, were in dire need of mental training. He frowned as his available choices drastically reduced. With an almost imperceptible nod, he made his decision. He just hoped it wouldn't bite him in the ass later.

He rang a bell on his table and his assistant walked in.

"Orders, Hokage-sama?".

"Summon the Konoha Council. They are to report here by noon".

"Hai, Hokage-sama".

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><p><strong><span>Author's Notes:<span>**

Anyone who can guess correctly who the sensei is going to be will get a mention in chapter 3, when I reveal his identity. You can leave your guess in your review if you're reviewing. Otherwise, you can PM me with your guess.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Notes:**

I'll be using the following symbols to transitions

XXX – Location/Scene change

==Begin Flashback== - Beginning of flashback

==End Flashback== - End of flashback

==(time)== - time has elapsed

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><p><strong>Chapter 2<strong>

The Konoha Council existed to help govern the village. Their responsibility was to advise the Hokage on village matters, both ninja related and civilian. The final decision regarding any matter, however, was left to the Hokage. But it would be foolish to say that they had no influence. The Council was made up of some of the oldest, most experienced and respected shinobi. Currently, the Council consisted of Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu, two of the three members of the team trained by the Second Hokage. The last was the Third Hokage.

"Why have you summoned us, Hiruzen?" asked Koharu, sipping from her teacup. She was the more vocal of the two. Homura would listen and interject only when he had something important to say.

The Third took a deep breath from his pipe as he slid a sheet of paper over to her. It had the list of graduating teams this year, their prospective jounin sensei and their individual chances of passing the final genin test. She began reading it until she stiffened, her eyes staring at him as if he had lost his mind. Homura, curious as to what had shocked her, leaned over her shoulder and began reading until he found what had made her tense up and he gasped.

Nothing was said for a moment. Homura broke the uncomfortable silence with a single word.

"Explain."

"Very Well."

==(Thirty minutes later)==

"I must say you've outdone yourself, Hiruzen. I might have had my reservations, but I'm now convinced. I will support your decision regarding Team Seven's sensei" said Koharu.

Homura, as silent as always, nodded once conveying his approval.

"As for the other teams, who have you selected as their mentors?"

The Third smirked as he said, "I will begin with Team Ten. Shikamaru-kun, just like most members of his clan, is extremely intelligent and just as lazy. Chouji-kun eats a lot, like every Akimichi, but unlike the others, he gets extremely angry and violent whenever someone mentions his... rotundity. Yamanaka Ino is a fangirl, preferring to play with make up and daydream about Uchiha Sasuke rather than train. Shikamaru needs a motivator. Chouji needs someone who will teach him how to channel his anger and use it as a tool. Ino needs someone who will break her obsession with the Uchiha while also acting as a role model, someone she can look up to and emulate. Their sensei will be Mitarashi Anko."

Homura and Koharu stared at him, flabbergasted. All was quite for a few seconds until Koharu began giggling, something she had not done in a long time. That was all it took and the dam broke. All three of them began laughing out loudly at the absurdity of the situation. Shikamaru would be cursing the Third until the day he died for this!

After all three of them recovered from their laughing fits, the Third continued, "Team Eight will be formed by Inuzuka Kiba, Aburame Shino and Haruno Sakura. I have selected Yuuhi Kurenai. Kiba-kun and Shino-kun will gain most of their techniques and skills from their respective clans. What they will learn from her is teamwork. Sakura-chan is the one who will benefit from her training the most as intelligence and chakra control are exactly what are needed to become an excellent genjutsu user."

The three ex-teammates spent the next hour making small talk. As the Konoha Council left, The Hokage's assistant knocked on the door. Once he was let in, he delivered his message.

"Hokage-sama, Danzo-sama requests an audience with you."

Hiruzen walked up to the nearby window and looked upon his village. For a moment, he just stood there, smoking his pipe and savoring the sight of both civilians and ninja going about their daily routine.

'As eager as ever, aren't you, old friend?' he mused as he bade the chuunin to let Danzo in. He turned around and sat in his chair just as his rival slid into his.

Brown eyes met a single gray one as Danzo said, "We have much to speak about, Hiruzen."

==(An hour later)==

After his discussion with Danzo, the Third summoned his assistant once more and handed a scroll over to him.

"These jounin are to report to my office today evening at five for genin squad assignments. Inform them immediately."

"Hai, Hokage-sama."

XXX

She was quite nervous about finding him. He was a legendary shinobi after all.

Her thoughts went back to two weeks earlier when the Hokage had summoned her and tasked her to track a particular ninja down and deliver a message. The ninja, in question, was one of the Hokage's own students, Jiraiya of the Sannin, otherwise known as The Toad Sage.

==Begin Flashback==

_"Hokage-sama!" she said, "I do not believe I am ready for this mission. However, if you wish me to accept it, I will."_

_"Don't worry, Hana-chan. I know that you will find him. You are ready" he had replied, giving her that look. The look which every shinobi in Konoha had received at one point or another. The look which showed the pride and faith that only a true leader can have in his subordinates._

_It was then that she gathered her resolve and swore, both to her leader and to herself, "I will not fail you, Hokage-sama."  
><em>

==End Flashback==

Thus, Inuzuka Hana and her canine partners, the Three Haimaru Brothers, found themselves in a civilian village in the Land of Water. This country was currently neutral towards the Land of Fire but her being found there might have bad repercussions.. ranging from her torture and execution right upto a declaration of war on Konoha. Suffice it to say, she was very anxious to find him, deliver her message and leave as soon as possible.

She had transformed to assume the look of an ordinary civilian to prevent detection by the local authorities. Her partners had used an Inuzuka nin-dog transformation technique to make themselves look like mongrels, pestering her for scraps of food.

She observed the condition of the village as she tracked his scent. The civil wars in Kirigakure had decimated both the population and the economy of the country. The war was currently confined to the hidden village and the borders of Water Country were not as tightly guarded as before. This is what enabled her to slip past the border guard instead of waiting until he crossed back.

Her musings were cut short as her nose led her to an unassuming building in a shady corner of the village. The Toad Sage's scent was strongest there, which meant that either he had stayed there for a while or he was still in the place. Hoping it was the latter, she pushed open the door, confirming what the other scents around the building told her.

The place was a whorehouse.

She told her partners to wait outside for her and entered.

Following his scent, she navigated between the scantily clad women and the drunk men until she found him. He sat a table, drinking cheap sake and conversing with a hooded man. Their whispers were so low that her sensitive hearing couldn't even pick up bits of their conversation.

'It's for the best' she thought to herself. He was the leader of Konoha's spy network and was speaking about sensitive information. After all, if she was caught, they couldn't torture anything she didn't know out of her. She decided to wait until he had finished.

XXX

"The situation in Kiri is getting worse, Jiraiya-sama" said the hooded figure.

Jiraiya took a sip of his sake and motioned for the man to continue.

"Most of the bloodline users are either eliminated, in hiding or joined with the rebels. Since no more are available to massacre, Yagura has ordered that all clans who possess their own secret clan techniques are to be eliminated. This was a wake up call for the ninja clans of Kiri who are now searching for the rebels to join with them and overthrow the Mizukage. The only ninja following Yagura now are the true fanatics, the ones that do not belong to any clan. It is only a matter of time now before the rebels win."

The man raised his cup to his lips and drank as he waited for Jiraiya's response.

"What can you tell me about the rebels?"

"The rebels are a powerful group comprised of both ninja and civilians. The ninja consist of bloodline users as well as normal shinobi, who never agreed with the Bloodline Massacres. Among the civilians, there are farmers, merchants, blacksmiths, nobles who are sick of the fighting and just want it to end. They provide weapons, food and funding for the rebels."

"Do you know where they are located?"

"I'm afraid I don't, Jiraiya-sama. My mole summons were able to find their base by digging underground and following their sound. I am still searching for the entrance used by the rebels."

"Who is their leader?"

"While I do not know the exact identity of the leader, I have found out that he(1) possesses the ability to use Lava Release techniques, which makes him a member of the Terumi clan. There are also rumors that he possesses the ability to use Boil Release, which would make him a member of the thought-to-be-extinct Mibu clan. However, I've neither been able to confirm nor deny these rumors."

Jiraiya seemed to mull over his words for a while before he tilted his cup and drained it. He then said, "Excellent job, Yashiro-kun. The Hokage will be very interested in this news."

Yashiro nodded in acknowledgement of his praise. He drained his own cup and then said, "Orders, Jiraiya-sama?"

"Continue working to find the entrance to the rebel base. Stay hidden from either side until I consult the Hokage. If you're forced to choose, go with the rebels. I will send you a message by messenger toad once I speak with the Hokage."

"Hai, Jiraiya-sama" he said as he got up and left.

Jiraiya waited until the newcomer who had been staring at him for the last five minutes sat down in the newly vacated seat and said, "What does Sarutobi-sensei have to say to me, Inuzuka-chan?"

Inuzuka Hana was flabbergasted. Then again, she shouldn't have been surprised. He was one of the Legendary Three, after all.

"Wondering how I knew?"

Too shocked to articulate, she just nodded dumbly.

"Two simple reasons. One, I am able to send chakra to my nose and enhance my sense of smell to match that of a young Inuzuka. Once I caught a whiff of your scent, I was able to recognize both the fact that you're a girl and that you possess the distinctive scent of Inuzuka nin-dogs."

Composing herself, the young chunin asked, "And the other, Jiraiya-sama?"

"I'm afraid that reason is confidential, Inuzuka-san(2). That is a secret known only to your clan elders and the clan head."

"I am the daughter of the clan head and one of the heirs of the clan. I have a right to know."

"Oh? So you're Tsume's eldest child. I guess time does fly. It has been many years since I last saw you, Hana-san. Anyway, if you must know, talk to your mother. You are of the age where you should learn about the origin of your clan techniques."

Filing away that piece of information into a corner of her mind, she then said, "Hokage-sama wants you to return to Konoha as soon as possible, Jiraiya-sama. He says it concerns the legacy of the Uzumaki."

Jiraiya's eyes widened for a few seconds before he started chuckling. He looked pensive, almost sad for a moment before he cheered up and said, "Very well, Hana-san. Return to Konoha and inform the Hokage that I will be in Konoha within a week."

"Hai, Jiraiya-sama" she said, and stood up to leave and stepped out of the way of a prostitute walking towards their table. Immediately, a radical transformation seemed to come over the Toad Sage as he grinned lecherously and pulled out a wad of ryou in one hand, pulling the hooker into his lap with the other as he said, "What say you, your beautiful friend over there, some sake and me all have fun in one of your best rooms upstairs, gorgeous?"

Hana watched, mouth open, as a grinning Jiraiya was led upstairs by two giggling girls who were shooting greedy glances towards the money he held in his hands.

She shook her head and muttered to herself, "It's always the same. The stronger you are, the crazier you become" and left the place. Now that she didn't have to search around, she could reach Konoha in three days, two-and-a-half if she hurried.

And hurry she did.

XXX

It was seven o' clock in the evening in Konohagakure. Eight jounin had been waiting for two hours in the Hokage's office for one particular ninja, who was chronically tardy for everything except a mission ranked A or above.

Feet were tapping, teeth were clicking and kunai were being twirled on fingers in irritation when a tall, thin man with silver, spiky hair and his forehead protector covering his left eye entered through the window. He was Hatake Kakashi, the son of Konoha's White Fang.

"Hello, everybody" he said, holding up a hand in greeting and smiling, seemingly undisturbed by all the murderous glances sent his way.

The Hokage frowned at him, "You're late again, Kakashi."

"I'm sorry, Hokage-sama. I walked under a ladder and tripped, breaking a mirror. I had to walk around the village until I found a black cat and then threw it over my shoulder into a tub of salt so I don't get any bad luck."

For once, Hatake Kakashi had given an excuse so absurd that he shocked an entire room full of ninjas into silence.

Once he had recovered, the Hokage leaned back in his chair and said, "You've all been summoned here to receive the genin squads you'll be testing and possibly training. Come up here and take the scroll with your name on it. It contains the names of the students you'll be teaching as well as dossiers on each one of them."

Walking forward to pick up his scroll, Kakashi said, "I guess I'll be getting Uchiha Sasuke and Uzumaki Naruto on my team then, Hokage-sama?"

The Hokage smirked and thought to himself, 'I'm really going to enjoy this' as he said, "No, Kakashi. You're not getting a genin team."

The room fell into a shocked silence once more as the smile slid off Kakashi's face(or rather, his eye). He stared at the Hokage for a whole minute before he spoke.

"What?"

* * *

><p><strong><span>Footnote<span>:**

1: Here, the spy is assuming that the leader is male.

2: He called her "Inuzuka-chan" the first time to indicate to her that he knew she was both an Inuzuka and a girl. After that, he switched over to the more formal means of address

**Author's Notes:**

The identity of Team Seven's sensei will be revealed next chapter! All correct guessers will be named in this location in the next chapter.


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Notes:**

Here it is.. the chapter you've all been waiting for. The identity of Team Seven's sensei will be revealed somewhere in this chapter. Enjoy!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 3<strong>

"Explain to me why exactly you deserve a team, Kakashi" said the Third Hokage.

"Well, Hokage-sama.. It's because-" he began before he was interrupted by the Hokage.

"Because you feel that you owe your deceased sensei and teammates, right? This team has Obito's nephew(1) and your sensei entrusted Naruto with the responsibility to protect this village. Isn't that why you feel obliged to train this team?"

Kakashi, not being able to say anything for once, nodded.

"You've been given six teams so far, Kakashi. You've failed all of them by giving them the bell test, the toughest genin test in Konoha. Tell me why."

"Teamwork, Hokage-sama. I will not take any team that cannot work together. If I'm not mistaken, the same test was given to the Sannin as well as my team."

"That was because the village was either on the brink of or was involved in a war. We didn't have the time to teach teamwork to a dysfunctional team. We had to select teams that would click together right from the beginning and train them for combat."

Kakashi's head jerked up as he realized the truth of the Third's statement and his eye widened, "Oh."

"Indeed. So much wasted potential, Kakashi. Six teams! Eighteen ninja! Some of them might have gone to be great! Now we'll never know, will we?"

He could only bow apologetically as the Third glared at him.

"The very fact that you arrived two hours late to such an important meeting is proof enough that you're not ready to take on a genin team, Kakashi. Especially one that will require very careful handling."

"My apologies, Hokage-sama. Minato-sensei had said once that he wanted us to train our own genin team. I had to try. I owed him that much, at least."

Sarutobi Asuma, son of the Third, exhaled deeply letting out a puff of smoke. He had suspected for a while that Kakashi's nonchalance was a way of hiding his grief. While Asuma felt sorry for the masked ninja, he thought it was high time that Kakashi changed his attitude. It was time for a wake up call.

He took a moment to collect his thoughts and spoke, "Do you think he'd be proud seeing you like this, Kakashi? The son of the White Fang being chronically tardy to practically anything? Making up absurd excuses? It's been twelve years. Get over it, for God's sake!"

Kakashi whipped his head towards him and shouted, "How dare you..! You don't know-"

"I know just how much it hurts to lose someone, you idiot!" he yelled back, shocking the rest of the jounin. Asuma rarely felt so strongly about anything. This was going to be interesting.

The Third just watched impassively.

"I lost my mother, my brother and my sensei during the Kyuubi attack. That left a hole in my heart that I can never replace. Two years later, I joined the Twelve Ninja Guardians. There, I found three new brothers. Chiriku, Kazuma and Hanatarou. We trained, fought, bled and swore to protect the daimyo together. When Kazuma and Hanatarou betrayed us, it was like my world had ended. I slit Kazuma's throat and burnt Hanatarou to a crisp. I could no longer stay there. The memories affected me too much. I came back to Konoha."

His voice softened and he smiled as he said, "I mourned. I grieved. I moved on. I've gained just as many new loved ones as I've lost. You can too"

He looked pointedly at Kurenai, who smiled back, a blush on her cheeks. The other jounin filed this away as prime teasing material for later on. The Third just smiled to himself.. 'Ah, to be young and in love again..'

"You can't wallow in your grief, Kakashi. It'll only consume you. You'll die a lonely old man with a bookshelf full of Icha-Icha as your only companion if you don't change."

Kakashi remained unmoving for a moment before he began to do something no one ever thought he would.

He began to chuckle. Then he began laughing.

The rest of the jounin stared at Sharingan Kakashi as he had seemed to have gone insane.

As his laughter died out, he looked up at the Third and smiled, "I must say, Hokage-sama, your son has inherited your wisdom. I guess I needed that."

"That you did, Kakashi. If you still want to train a genin team, try next year. However, you will have to prove to me that you deserve it."

Kakashi shot him a thumbs-up, saying "Will do, Hokage-sama. I just have one more question. Who is training Team Seven?"

The Third's face took on a grim visage as a familiar voice said, "That would be me, Hatake-san."

Kakashi turned round and watched as someone stepped out of the shadows in the corner.

His eye widened as he shouted, "You!"

The room was shocked silent yet again apart from the sultry voice of Mitarashi Anko, "It's official, boys and girls. The old man's finally snapped."

XXX

The next day, at eleven o' clock in the morning, Uzumaki Naruto found himself at the academy for his team placements. Today had been an eventful day. After having his picture taken(twice!) and submitting his ninja application form to the Hokage, he met the Third's grandson, Konohamaru, who had run towards the old man, wielding a kunai and shouting "Sneak attack!".

He then proceeded to trip over his own feet and promptly blamed Naruto. The nerve of the idiot, dattebayo!

Some guy with dark glasses then came running into the room, looking for the kid. Some ninja.. he couldn't even keep up with a nine-year-old.

After Naruto had bashed in the little brat's head, he left for the academy. His troubles didn't stop there. The kid had followed him, pestering him for training. It was then that Naruto decided to introduce the kid to the fine art of playing pranks, starting with his "special" Transformation Technique. Wouldn't want Iruka-sensei to slack off now, would we?

Two hours later, the kid had managed to pull off an acceptable transformation technique. It was then that the aforementioned special jounin found them, yelling his head off that Naruto had corrupted the "Honorable Grandson". It was then that Naruto pulled out his ultimate weapon.

"Ninja Art: Harem Technique"

The ninja had fainted from the sight of so many beautiful, buxom, blonde women while Konohamaru had watched with admiration in his eyes. Naruto had never felt so cool before, dattebayo!

After finding a kindred spirit and a rival for the position of Hokage, Naruto had left for the academy.

Little did he know that the Third had watched the entire episode through his crystal ball with his Telescope Technique.

"And so it begins" he whispered as Naruto walked into his old classroom, head held high and Iruka's forehead protector tied on his forehead.

XXX

Iruka had begun announcing the teams and their jounin sensei.

"Team Ten. Yamanaka Ino, Nara Shikamaru and Akimichi Chouji. Your jounin sensei will be Mitarashi Anko. You are to report here at one in the afternoon."

The blonde girl began shouting at Iruka for not being placed with the Uchiha. She wasn't very happy about being placed with a lazy Nara and a fat Akimichi either.

Iruka glared at her before saying in a frigid tone, "Do you want to be reported for insubordination, Yamanaka?"

As if by magic, the entire class shut up as they stared at Iruka. How could one of the nicest teachers from the academy threaten them with something so serious?

Naruto had opened his mouth to insult Sasuke for some reason when Iruka's words shut him up. He wasn't as surprised as the others. The others in the class had only seen the chuunin's milder side so far. He had seen the academy teacher's tougher side when he had fought Mizuki on graduation night.

"Until now, you've been civilians training to be ninja, no matter if you were from a clan or not. However, after graduation, you're all genin and are punishable under ninja law."

"But Iruka-sen-"

"Shut up and listen, Yamanaka. Do not interrupt!"

Ino gulped and sat back in her seat, trying to make herself as small as possible.

"These teams were selected by me and approved by the Hokage. You shouting at me implies that you are questioning the Hokage's decision. Are you doing that, Yamanaka?"

Ino paled as she realized how close she was to ending her dreams. The girls wouldn't stop gossiping about her. Her social life would be over! She'll never get the chance to impress Sasuke-kun with her amazing ninja abilities and her other-worldly beauty. Her fantasy of fathering little Uchiha children would be dashed to the ground and Forehead would crush them under her huge feet! She wouldn't allow that!

She replied in a shaky voice, "I apologize, Iruka-sensei. It won't happen again."

He glared at her before lightening up and saying, "Apology accepted, Ino-chan. Don't let it happen again."

She sighed in relief and stole a glance at Sasuke. He was watching Iruka, elbows on the desk, interlocked hands covering the lower half of his face. So dark and handsome..

Her thoughts were interrupted as Iruka announced the next team.

"Team Eight. Haruno Sakura, Inuzuka Kiba and Aburame Shino. Your jounin sensei will be Yuuhi Kurenai. She will pick you up at half-past-one today afternoon."

Kiba and Shino gave a quick glance to each other before looking towards Hinata. She was sitting in the back of the class, a blush on her cheeks, shooting longing looks towards Naruto and fiddling with her fingers. Kiba sighed before turning back to their sensei. Shino.. did nothing.

XXX

Aburame Shino was worried. In the history of Konoha, whenever a graduating class had a Hyuuga, an Aburame and an Inuzuka together, they were always put into the same squad and trained as a tracking and hunter team. Logic dictated that Kiba, Hinata and he would follow the same pattern. He was unnerved when they didn't. There was no logical reason for Hinata not to be on their team. At least, no apparent one.

This would require some thought.

XXX

Haruno Sakura was not happy. In fact, she was beyond pissed! She should've been with Sasuke-kun. Instead, she was stuck with a boy who was part dog and a human beehive! What was wrong with Iruka-sensei?

She wanted to shout out as Ino had done but Iruka-sensei had really scared her earlier. She sat back and clenched her fists, ignoring the voice in her head that was shouting at her to rip the bastard from limb to limb.

XXX

Iruka chuckled, seeing Sakura's face turn red out of anger. It was always amusing, seeing students getting flustered when they were paired up with the most unlikely partners. It was even more satisfying to watch the same team in action six months from graduation, working like a well oiled machine. He had no doubts that both Team Eight and Ten would be great one day.

The team which he placed most of his expectations on was of course, Team Seven. He already knew about Sasuke's potential but he had caught a glimpse of Naruto's on the night of graduation. The kid was a chakra monster! He decided then and there to put in a word with his jounin sensei to train him as a ninjutsu user.

Iruka inhaled and began to announce Team Seven.

"Team Seven. Hyuuga Hinata, Uchiha Sasuke and Uzumaki Naruto. Your jounin-sensei will be-"

His voice trailed off as he'd never heard of the name on his clipboard.

Naruto's loud voice broke the silence.

"Oi, Iruka-sensei! Why'd you stop talking? Tell me who my jounin-sensei is, dattebayo!"

Iruka shook his head to clear his thoughts and continued, "...Shimura Danzo."

* * *

><p><strong><span>Footnote:<span>**

1: Since, canon never mentions how Obito is related to Sasuke, I'm taking liberty here. In this story, Obito is a much younger cousin of Uchiha Mikoto. Sasuke, being Mikoto's son, would have been something of a nephew to Obito.

**Author's Notes:**

Surprised? I hope you are. It took me quite a while to think of suitable reasons to a Naruto trained by Danzo. Before you start flaming me, please read the story summary in my profile as I have mentioned the slight differences from canon Danzo to my Danzo. Those slight differences are what makes this Danzo suitable to train Naruto and the canon one not.

In the next chapter, I'll explain the reasons why Danzo was selected by the Third.

The people who guessed right : Nobody!

Review! I need your opinions!


	4. Interlude 1

**Author's Notes:**

Here's a little treat for you guys. A chapter earlier than usual. Don't expect this too often. I was just feeling particularly generous today.

This one is slightly different from normal chapters. This is an interlude, and it has no impact on the story. It fleshes out events that have been alluded to before, but never explained.

This one explains why Danzo was chosen as Team Seven's sensei. It reveals the talk he had with the Hokage in chapter 2.

A lot of people has been asking me if the pairing is going to be Naruto/Hinata. I'll clear these doubts once and for all. There most probably will be no pairing as this fic will go up to the pre-timeskip and then stop. They will all be too young to have a proper relationship. Maybe a few dates, but nothing more.

IF I'm going to write a sequel (depends both on my free time and the demand for one), the pairing has already been decided. Naruto will be paired with one girl ONLY. No harems, threesomes or even twosomes. She will be a manga character and will be around Naruto's age. It will NOT be Hinata or Sakura.

Hope that satisfies those who were curious.

**POLL ALERT**

I've decided to work on another story in my free time. Updates to that story will be sporadic until I finish this story. The ideas for this story are explained in the 'My Ideas' section of my profile. Read through them and place your vote on the poll in my profile. You have upto three choices. Choose Well!

The poll will remain open until I upload Chapter 10.

* * *

><p><strong>Interlude 1: The Tree And Its Root<br>**

"We have much to speak about, Hiruzen."

The Third nodded, "I have been expecting you, Danzo. I assume this is about Naruto-kun?"

Danzo leaned forward on his cane, "Of course it is. Why wouldn't I be worried about the training of the jinchuriki of the strongest Tailed Beast?"

The Third exhaled, pensive for a moment before saying, "Naruto has grown up in an.. interesting way."

His rival just raised an eyebrow curiously.

"Instead of striking back at the villagers in response to their hate, he is resolved to show them that their ignorance is misplaced and that he is a ninja of Konoha. He dreams of becoming Hokage so that the villagers acknowledge him."

He was answered with a frown, "His goal is admirable, but his reasons aren't. Why didn't you discourage him?"

"Why? Because I believe he can do it. He has the potential and the drive."

Danzo scoffed.

"What potential are you talking about?. As far as I have seen, he will reach chuunin at best. Jounin if he masters the power of the Fox. Apart from that, he lacks the right attitude to be a ninja, let alone Hokage."

"Attitude can be changed with proper guidance. As for his potential, what do you say about learning a B-rank forbidden technique within a time span of three hours and using it successfully to defeat a chuunin in single combat immediately afterwards?"

If his rival was surprised, he didn't show it.

"Tell me more."

The Third smirked inwardly. Danzo had fallen for the bait. Now to spring the trap.

"It began on the day Naruto failed his graduation test for the third time..."

==(Fifteen minutes later)==

"I'll accept he has potential. Shame it took so long to show itself. But who will train him?"

"This is going to be rather long, so you might want to sit back."

Danzo acquiesced, motioning for him to continue.

"The identity of his sensei ties into the teammates I have chosen for him, namely Uchiha Sasuke and Hyuuga Hinata in Team Seven. The reason I have done this is two-fold. Sasuke-kun is mentally unstable. He would betray the village in a shot if it meant gaining an iota of power. As of now, he has nothing tying him to Konoha and is a flight risk."

He blew out a set of smoke rings before continuing, "Hinata, on the other hand, lacks the confidence to be a good ninja. She has potential but she doesn't wish to hurt people thus stunting her growth. Her father berating her for being weak hasn't helped much, either. However, she admires Naruto for his determination and perseverance."

He gave Danzo a smug look, "I had planned to tell Naruto about his mother's clan after he graduated anyway. I'll just make it a team event and hint to them that all of their mothers had been good friends. That should pique their curiosity enough that they would start researching about their mothers together. Hopefully, Naruto's confidence and sunny disposition should affect Hinata and Sasuke positively."

Danzo appeared unfazed on the outside. On the inside, he was surprised by the sheer simplicity of the Third's plan. However, that didn't answer the question of who their mentor would be.

The Third continued, "Their training is something that needs to be handled carefully. All three are mentally unstable, the boys more so than the girl. Naruto is loud and doesn't think before acting. He also neglects studying anything he doesn't find interesting. Sasuke has a lot of bottled up anger and is prone to fits of jealousy. Hinata is a different story altogether. She needs confidence and encouragement more than anything else to bring out her potential. However, for her to become a truly great ninja, she needs to learn how to harden her heart. That is why all three of them need emotional conditioning more than anything else."

He then held up four fingers on his right hand, "Four. That's the number of active ninja we have with both the skills and experience to train them mentally."

He began counting down, "Hatake Kakashi, Morino Ibiki, Yamanaka Inoichi and Jiraiya. However, I cannot let any of them train Team Seven. Ibiki and Inoichi have their duties as interrogators and in the case of the latter, as a clan head to think of. In addition, Ibiki is skilled mainly in torture genjutsu and ninjutsu. Inoichi is a master of his clan techniques and infiltration strategies, but only above average when it comes to other fields. They are ill-equipped to train ninja for anything other than interrogation."

"Hatake Kakashi, while a good choice, is not dedicated enough to train them seriously. He would be content to leave them to their own devices and arrive late for team meetings. He'd also be likely to focus excessively on teamwork while neglecting their individual skills" interjected Danzo.

"Exactly. Jiraiya would be excellent for training them if it were not for the fact that we need his spy network operating at maximum efficiency. It would be impossible for him to focus on both and do them justice. That's when I decided to look outside the active ninja and found the perfect person."

The Hokage cleared his throat and slowly bringing his finger up to point at Danzo and dramatically intoned, "I have selected you, Shimura Danzo, to train Team Seven. Do you accept?"

XXX

Danzo was shocked.

He'd never in his wildest dreams thought that Hiruzen would allow him to train both the Uzumaki AND the Uchiha. A Hyuuga of the Main Branch was no laughing matter as well.

He frowned as he contemplated the Hokage's offer. Something was off here.

"Why me, Hiruzen? Do you think I'll be able to train three children properly, old and frail that I am."

The Hokage only chuckled as he said, "Old you may be, Danzo, but certainly not frail. After all, you're still injecting yourself with _that _chakra(1), aren't you?"

"Of course I am. Only when I find a worthy successor will I stop using it and allow myself to wither. After all, new roots have to replace old ones someday."

"If only Itachi and Shisui weren't forced to do what they did. Either one of them would've been perfect to take your place, Danzo."

Danzo nodded grimly, "Speaking of Itachi, he had said before leaving that I wasn't to be allowed to get my hands on Sasuke. What do you think his reaction will be if he hears of this? What about Hiashi?"

"I will convince them, Danzo. If you accept, that is."

Danzo remained silent for a moment before saying, "As I asked before, why me? You know that my methods are far harsher than any other in Konoha. If these three are as talented as you say they are, surely they would reach their potential eventually under a different sensei. Nowhere near as quickly as under me, but less mentally scarred. Isn't that what you prefer?"

The creak of an armchair as the Hokage got up was the only sound in the room. He walked over to the window, his back to Danzo. He toyed with his beard, a sure sign that he was worried.

"I have a bad feeling, old friend."

Now _that _got his attention. Sarutobi Hiruzen had spoken of having bad feelings twice before. Each time had been followed soon by events that sparked the Second and Third Shinobi Wars. Now he knew why the Hokage had chosen him.

"You want them to be icons."

"Precisely, Danzo. The peace we've enjoyed for the last fifteen years will soon be broken. I don't know how long it will take, but war will descend upon Konoha. When it does.. I want a team that can serve as leaders, one that will strike terror into the hearts of our enemies and inspire our forces. I want a team surpassing the Sannin. You are the only one who can train such a team in as short a time as possible. Will you do it?"

"I accept. However, I assume that there will be conditions?"

The Hokage shot an icy glare at him, "Only one. There is to be no breaking them. They will retain all their emotions. You are to teach them how to control and use their emotions, not rid themselves of them. Is this clear, Danzo?"

"Crystal, Hokage-sama."

"If you have any more questions, feel free to ask them."

"I have just one. What of Uzumaki's training as a jinchuriki?"

"Uzumaki Naruto will not receive training in using the Fox's chakra until he has better control of his emotions. His seal will remain tightened to its maximum(2) until both Jiraiya and you deem him ready."

"Very well. Am I dismissed?"

"You are. Before you leave, I must ask you if the tree has been pruned."

"It has."

"Excellent. Keep looking, Danzo. You know what to do if you find any more."

"Hai, Hokage-sama. By your leave."

With a curt nod, Danzo left the room. He had a team to train. Lessons to plan. Traitors to kill(3).

* * *

><p><strong><span>Footnote:<span>**

1: _That _chakra will be explained in another interlude sometime in the future.

2: A fully tightened seal means that Naruto will not be able to draw on the Kyuubi's chakra unless his life is in danger.

3: In case you couldn't tell, Danzo works with the Hokage in secret. "Pruning the tree" is a metaphor for "find and destroy traitors". I'll be explaining later the difference between canon Root and my Root.

**Author's Notes:**

I would like to respond to two of my reviewers here since they've disabled their PM feature.

noshadowone

your review was, and I quote "hmm so you take sasuke fan girl and replace her with an equally pathetic naruto fangirl. lets see how that makes much of a difference."

It's a shame to see how people seem to view every character in a manga as one-dimensional, without taking into account each one of their backgrounds. Let me tell you the difference between Sakura and Hinata, and this is derived from canon.

Sakura comes from a civilian family and has no idea of what a ninja's life is. She has a huge crush on Sasuke because he is the last of a prestigious clan and he's handsome, dark and all that. She has never bothered to find out what he has gone through, never tried to find out what he's really like.

Hinata, on the other hand, has suffered traumatic experiences as a child Sakura can never fathom. She has lost confidence in herself and believes herself to be weak. She admires Naruto for his confidence and his determination. She admires how he never gives up no matter how much shit life throws at him. This admiration has manifested in a crush, yes. But a totally different kind of crush than the one Sakura has on Sasuke.

Hope that clears it up. I answered your query about my pairing for Naruto in the Author's Note of this chapter, right at the top.

Frostyx3

It's great that you love this fic. I hope I can finish it one day and make it an epic!

As I said, people are not one-dimensional. Even canon Danzo is not corrupt. He does what he has to do to keep Konoha safe. Remember that his family name, Shimura, can be interpreted to mean, "I did it for the village."

Read and review, people. I need your opinions.


	5. Chapter 4

**POLL ALERT**

I've decided to work on another story in my free time. Updates to that story will be sporadic until I finish this story. The ideas for these stories are explained in the 'My Ideas' section of my profile. Read through them and place your vote on the poll in my profile. You have upto three choices. Choose Well!

The poll will remain open until I upload Chapter 10.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 4<strong>

Naruto's loud voice could be heard all the way across the street as he was walking with Hinata and Sasuke.

"That was the greatest ramen ever, dattebayo!"

Hinata, being too nervous around her crush to speak, just nodded with a blush coloring her cheeks.

The last Uchiha, on the other hand, just grunted his acknowledgement. Naruto might be loud, annoying and an idiot but he sure knew how to pick his ramen. Sasuke had never visited that particular stand before. He knew that he would be eating there a lot more often now.

If anyone had told him a day earlier that he would be having lunch with the heiress to the Hyuuga Clan and the class clown, he would've scoffed. Sasuke always ate alone.

He had never really noticed how persuasive the blond could be.

His mind went back to the time after Iruka had announced all the teams. He had made a dramatic speech about how these teams would form the closest bonds a ninja would ever have, how those teams would be working together for years to come, how they would have no one else but their teammates to depend on in dangerous lands during missions.

Sasuke had tuned him out. He didn't need bonds. They would only slow him down.

Naruto, unfortunately, had clung on to Iruka's words. After Iruka suggested that each team have lunch together and get to know their teammates, Naruto all but demanded Hinata and Sasuke to accompany him to Ichiraku Ramen. Hinata, of course, had agreed. He had tried to refuse, but Naruto wouldn't accept no for an answer.

In the end, he agreed to go just to shut Naruto up.

He idly noticed that Naruto had entirely missed the point of Iruka's speech. Instead of getting to know them better, the blond idiot had spent all the time waxing lyrical about the greatness of Teuchi's Ramen. Not that he cared, anyway.

Iruka had told them to meet with the Hokage after lunch. Apparently he had something important to tell the team. Sasuke had been wondering about it for a while. What could the Hokage want with the whole team?

'Guess we'll find out soon' he thought to himself as Naruto barged into the Hokage's office without knocking.

"Uzumaki Naruto is here, Ojii-san!"

Wonderful. Just wonderful. Not even one day as a genin and the idiot would get them all stripped of their ninja status for disrespecting the Hokage.

Judging by what he could see of her face, his female teammate felt just as shocked as he did when the Hokage just smiled and asked them to have a seat.

XXX

Sarutobi Hiruzen smiled as he looked at each of the genin sitting in front of him. While Sasuke and Hinata were looking at him apprehensively, Naruto was fidgeting in his seat, restless as always.

He always enjoyed Naruto's visits. The boy brightened the place up.

He began rummaging in his desk drawer, looking for something. Finding it, he pulled it out, gazed wistfully at it for a moment before handing it over to Hinata, who was sitting in between the two boys.

"The reason I wanted you to meet me was to show you this photograph. I believe both you and Sasuke-kun would know two of these people?"

The photograph had three women sitting on a couch. The one on the left had pale, creamy skin, a full figure and midnight blue hair tied up in a loose bun. The iris of her eyes was white with a tint of lavender. They were also lacking pupils, identifying her as a Hyuuga.

The fair-skinned, slim woman in the middle had midnight-black hair falling down to her lower-back. She bore the symbol of the Uchiha Clan on her sleeve.

The third woman had dark red hair reaching down to her mid-back. She wore a baggy, brownish-orange suit with a black undershirt. Her large eyes were a dark violet in color. They combined with her infectious smile to give her a mischievous look.

All three were also pregnant.

Sasuke's and Hinata's eyes widened as they recognized their mothers, Uchiha Mikoto and Hyuuga Hiyori. Sasuke was confused as he had never seen the redhead when he was younger. If she was that friendly with his mother, surely she would've visited them sometime.

It was Hinata who noticed the similarities between the redhead's and her blond teammate's facial features. She then spoke up, "Hokage-sama, Is th-that red-haired woman Na-Naruto-kun's mother?"

XXX

Naruto had been looking over the photograph trying to find something of interest when Hinata asked her question.

His head whipped up as he gasped aloud. He stared at the Hokage with wide eyes, almost afraid to hear what the Hokage was going to say.

The Hokage nodded, "Yes."

Naruto snatched the photo from Hinata and began devouring his mother's image with his eyes, hoping to burn it into his memory.

He opened his mouth to ask his surrogate grandfather more about her only to find a lump in his throat. He swallowed a few times and tears began dripping onto the photograph as he said in a shaky voice, "Please, Ojii-san, tell me more about her."

"She was a member of the Uzumaki Clan of Uzushiogakure. Your clan was a distant relative of the Senju Clan, one of the founding clans of Konoha. The two had been allied for centuries. When Konoha was formed, the Uzumaki decided to stay independent but allied with Konoha. As part of an agreement, at least one member of the Uzumaki Clan's head family would have to be a Konoha shinobi. A new shinobi would have to be sent if the earlier one passed away. In return, Konoha would provide Uzushio with supplies and outsource a part of its missions to them."

The Hokage paused for a moment to refill his pipe, "The first Uzumaki to be a part of this treaty was Uzumaki Mito, your great-great-great-grandaunt and wife of the First Hokage."

All of the three genin's eyes widened comically at this statement. Naruto was related by marriage and by blood, albeit distantly, to the First and Second Hokages! Now _that_ was some news!

"When Mito-sama had grown old and was ready to pass on, the Uzumaki Clan sent your mother, Uzumaki Kushina, to be a shinobi of Konoha as stipulated by the treaty(1). She was the younger daughter of the clan head of that time. She was eight years old when she arrived."

He snickered as he remembered some of her more outrageous antics.

"She was one of the most mischievous and devious children to have been raised in Konoha. Just like you, she loved playing pranks. I'm pretty sure that instead of punishing you for vandalizing the Hokage Monument, she would've praised you instead. She also loved ramen with a passion."

Naruto gave a wry smile at that. Looks like he had inherited something from her.

"Her two best friends were Hyuuga Hiyori and Uchiha Mikoto, the mothers of your teammates."

The three genin glanced at each other, surprised that their mothers had been so close. They turned back towards the Hokage when he continued, "During the Third Shinobi War, the three of them formed a very skilled team whose kill count was surpassed only by the Fourth Hokage. The three of them were collectively known as Konoha's Angels Of Death."

The Hokage observed their reactions to hearing that their mothers had been killers. These observations would help Danzo in preparing them for shinobi life.

Sasuke was surprised. He had known that his mother was a shinobi but he never knew just how strong she was. Hearing this made him quite proud.

Hinata and Naruto, however, seemed to be taking it pretty badly. Hinata had paled and was trembling slightly while Naruto looked as if he couldn't believe his eyes. He opened his mouth wide and seemed ready to shout when the Hokage cut him off, "I know what you want to say, Naruto, but now is not the time. Speak to your sensei about it. He is the one supposed to guide you now."

Naruto looked sullen for a moment before nodding. He decided to ask something else, "Hey Ojii-san, can you tell me something about my clan? What kind of techniques did they use? Are they still alive now?"

"The Uzumaki Clan was well known and feared for its fuuinjutsu. Enemies would be vary of even young genin from Uzushio as they possessed sealing techniques that could immobilize, trap and kill even experienced jounin. Seal masters of the Uzumaki Clan head family however, were a class apart. This family possessed a natural affinity for fuuinjutsu. They were able to understand and create complex and powerful seals that even a Kage would fear. It was because of this ability that they were targeted right before the Third Shinobi War."

The Hokage lost his smile and looked every bit of his sixty eight years as he continued, "This was one of the saddest days in Konoha's history and was one of the events that sparked the Third Shinobi World War. Kirigakure and Kumogakure were always wary of Uzushio and it's fearsome fuuinjutsu. They teamed up and sent a force of twenty thousand shinobi to attack Uzushio and destroy it. We had never expected them to do this since they had declared themselves neutral towards us."

Sasuke grimaced as he knew how the story would go. He had read about similar events from his history text books and clan scrolls. Hinata was looking sadly at Naruto, forgetting about her nervousness for once. Naruto, however, was shaking in anger.

The Third took a deep breath from his pipe, "A force of twenty thousand ninja against a village having a population of five hundred. The Uzumaki knew that they were doomed. However, they refused to do down without a fight."

"They sent their fastest ninja runner along with all their clan scrolls to Konoha to deliver a message for help. He reached here within a day, delivered his message and died of exhaustion. His name was Uzumaki Shinji. He was the first casualty."

The Third blew out a puff of smoke from his pipe and continued, "A force of fifteen thousand shinobi was dispatched to aid Uzushio. However, they arrived too late. Uzushio had been destroyed. Although, not without heavy losses."

The Hokage smirked , "Kiri and Kumo had underestimated the strength of the Uzumaki Clan. The hundreds of protection seals placed all around Uzushio themselves took out over two thousand of the enemy forces. Then the Uzumaki went into battle. When the scout from the Konoha force reached the battlefield, only one Uzumaki was left against one thousand five hundred."

He leaned back in his chair with a groan, "In the end, the clan leader, Uzumaki Hirako, performed an S-Rank forbidden suicide technique. It stripped him of his life and killed each and every one of the remaining enemy shinobi. Konoha declared war on Kiri and Kumo by the end of the week. The rest is history."

The Third smiled at him, "Uzushio may be gone, Naruto, but its legacy lives on in Konoha and in you. The Uzumaki Swirl which you wear on your clothing is a part of Konoha's Leaf Symbol. The flak jackets of Konoha have the Uzumaki Swirl on them in honor of our lost comrades. When you are ready, I'll give you your clan scrolls so you can become an Uzumaki not just in blood, but also in skill."

Naruto nodded before asking something that had been on the tip of his tongue, something he dearly wanted to know.

"Is my mother still alive, Ojii-san?"

"I'm afraid not, Naruto. She died protecting you from the Kyuubi. While we don't know the exact circumstances of her death, she was found with a smile on her face. We believe that she was happy that she managed to protect you, even if she had to give up her life to do it."

Naruto had always been sad that he didn't have parents. However, his heart had never hurt so much before. Tears began flowing profusely as he grieved, grieved for lost love, for hugs and kisses never received. His pain of loneliness lessened as he realized that he had never been unloved. His mother had given up her life so that he could live his!

Naruto wiped off his tears and smiled. Then he shot the Hokage a thumbs-up.

"I'll do my best to make her proud, Ojii-san! Dattebayo! When I'm done mastering my clan techniques, you'll have to make me Hokage!"

Hinata was smiling and crying at the same time. The story of Naruto's family was so sad that she couldn't stop herself from crying. At the same time, she was also happy that Naruto had found out about his family and that he hadn't lost any of his normal exuberance.

Sasuke remembered one of his uncles telling him the story of the Uzumaki, although he had never named the clan. Judging by what he recalled, Naruto's clan was one worthy of respect as it had given birth to many exceptional shinobi. Perhaps, just perhaps, Naruto may not be so useless after all. He resolved to keep an eye on his blond teammate. He just might become a worthy rival, maybe even a... friend. Sasuke's mother would've liked that.

His attention was brought back to the Hokage as the old man brought out a photo album and handed it over to Naruto, "This is an album which has photographs of your mother, Naruto. Some of them have pictures of your teammates' mothers as well. Maybe the three of you can go through them together sometime."

The Hokage smiled as his surrogate grandson accepted the gift. Now, it was time for them to meet Danzo.

"Team Seven. This slip of paper has directions to your sensei's house. You're to be there in fifteen minutes. Dismissed."

Two of the genin bowed respectfully while the last waved goodbye with a cheeky grin. As they were leaving the door, they heard a whisper so quiet they might as well have imagined it.

"Good luck, Team Seven. You will need it."

* * *

><p><strong><span>Foot Notes:<span>**

1: The treaty is actually different from what Sarutobi has told them. Revealing to fresh genin that Mito had been a jinchuriki and Kushina was brought to Konoha for the sole purpose of making her the next one wouldn't have been a very good idea.

**Author's Notes:**

Read and review, people!

Don't forget the **POLL** in my profile. I want you to decide which story you want me to work on. Check my profile for more details.

**FUN FACT:** A lot of people give 'Ichiraku' as a family name to Teuchi and Ayame. I found out something very interesting recently. 'Ichiraku' is not a name! Ramen Ichiraku is the name of the ramen stand because it roughly translates to 'Ramen is the best pleasure'.. I had to edit this chapter when I found out.


	6. Chapter 5

**POLL ALERT**

I've decided to work on another story in my free time. Updates to that story will be sporadic until I finish this story. The ideas for these stories are explained in the 'My Ideas' section of my profile. Read through them and place your vote on the poll in my profile. You have upto three choices. Choose Well!

The poll will remain open until I upload Chapter 10.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 5<strong>

If anyone was asked to describe the Shimura family home in one word, they would say "average". It stood two floors tall, was made out the same wood as most houses in Konoha and was painted a very simple, unassuming cream with a light green trimming.

Team Seven stood on the porch of this very house as they waited for their sensei to answer their knock. Two members of this team were nervous about meeting their future mentor for the first time (although he didn't show it) and the third was yammering on about how he would become Hokage soon.

All of them had their own expectations about what kind of man he would be.

Hinata just hoped that he would be nice and friendly. She wanted someone like Kurenai, who used to escort her to and from the academy when she was younger.

Sasuke didn't really care how he was. He just wanted someone powerful, someone who could give him the power he needed to kill _that _man.

Naruto was hoping they'd have someone cool, someone who knew a lot of flashy techniques he could learn. After all, a Hokage should be able to produce a decent light show, dattebayo!

The three of them tensed up as the door opened. They were disappointed as an old man, probably as old as the Third, opened the door. Hinata was the one who spoke, "Gr-greetings, ojji-sama. We would like to speak to Shi-shimura-san, if it wouldn't be too much trouble."

"That would be me, Hyuuga-san."

The three genin started as looked him up and down. This old man was supposed to be their jounin-sensei?

"Come in and have a seat, Team Seven."

XXX

Danzo had never had a need for personal wealth. Right from when he was a child, his family had lead a minimalistic life, keeping back only enough money for the bare necessities and for ninja supplies. The rest was siphoned back into Konoha.

This attitude showed in the lack of furnishing. His drawing room had a simple wooden table with a cotton tablecloth spread over it. On opposite sides of the table were two fairly large tatami mats. Three of the walls were bare and unadorned with any of the traditional fixtures or paintings. The last wall, however, was covered with a few pictures. They appeared to be his family as there were many similar characteristics.

Team Seven occupied one side of the table while he sat opposite them. He frowned inwardly as he began to consider his approach. He would need to instill an experienced ninja's attitude in them as fast as possible. It was time for the 'Good Danzo, Bad Danzo' routine.

"I understand that you're surprised to see someone my age as your jounin-sensei, correct?"

He smiled at the collective nods.

"One of the most important guidelines for a ninja is: Do not judge anyone based on their looks. After all, the Third is the strongest ninja in the village, is he not?"

A chorus of "yes" was heard.

"My name is Shimura Danzo. I am a veteran of the First and Second Shinobi Wars. Sarutobi Hiruzen is my childhood friend and was my rival for the position of Third Hokage. I don't particularly like anything. I hate traitors and my dreams and hobbies are my own. Introduce yourselves, starting with Uzumaki."

Naruto adjusted his forehead protector as spoke up, "I am Uzumaki Naruto, genin of Konoha. I like Teuchi-ojji-san's ramen and Sakura-chan. I don't like the time it takes for ramen to cook. My hobbies are pulling pranks and watering plants. My dream.. is to become Hokage and to restore the Uzumaki Clan."

Hinata began to speak, with her head lowered, "I am Hyu-hyuuga Hinata, heiress of the Hyuuga Clan. I like ze-zenzai and ci-ci-cinnamon rolls. My hobby is to pr-press flowers. My dream is to be acknowledged by my fa-family and to unite the two Hy-hyuuga houses."

Sasuke had initially been planning on giving a very minimalist introduction. Now, after knowing about the connection between their mothers, he felt that he could afford to be a bit more open with his team. He spoke, "My name is Uchiha Sasuke, last of the Uchiha Clan. I admire powerful ninja. I like omusubi and tomatoes. I dislike sweet things. My hobbies are training and taking walks. I don't have a dream... it's more of an ambition."

Sasuke's demeanor grew far colder than they had ever seen.

"I will restore the Uchiha Clan and... kill a certain man."

Everyone was quiet for a moment.. until a shout from Naruto broke the silence, "Sasuke! I told you, that kiss was an accident! It wasn't my fault.. kill the guy who bumped me! Your fan-club already punished me enough!"

Hinata remembered the incident that occurred earlier that day and giggled. Danzo raised an eyebrow.

Sasuke shouted back, "I'm not going to kill you, you idiot. It's someone else..."

Naruto rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment as he spoke, "Oh.. who is he then? The man you want to kill?"

Danzo chose this point to interject, "That is a story your teammate can tell you later, Uzumaki. Now, I have some things to say regarding your ninja career."

The three genin all straightened up at this.

"First of all, I am your teacher. You will address me as 'sensei' or 'sir'. Understood?"

"Hai, sensei" was the collective reply.

"Second, the three of you are not yet genin."

Three mouths opened wide in shock were his only reply.

"The tests you passed in the academy were only to weed out the hopeless cases. The second test is to decide whether you have what it takes to be a true ninja of Konoha. This test is very difficult. It has a failure rate of sixty-six percent."

"What do you mean by that, ojji-, I mean, Danzo-sensei?" said Naruto as a pointed look from Danzo made him change his earlier form of address.

"It doesn't mean anything, Uzumaki. If this year's batch of graduates is exceptional, all teams will pass. If all graduates are terrible, then none will pass. It is just a statistical analysis that suggests that only nine out of this year's twenty seven graduates will pass the test. However, you three are very lucky."

'Get them to trust you. Strike when they least expect it. One of a ninja's most valuable lessons, 'Look underneath the underneath' will be learned.'

"I am very impressed with the skills you have shown so far, even you, Uzumaki. I can tell that the three of you will pass this exam with flying colors. Hence, I have decided to forgo the test and begin your training and missions."

"Heh heh.. Guess we're just awesome, Hinata, Sasuke?"

"Indeed, Uzumaki. The three of you are indeed... awesome."

Danzo glanced at all their faces to guess what they thought about this. He was rather disappointed. Both Naruto and Hinata accepted his words at face value, believing that they had passed. Sasuke frowned for a second before seeming satisfied about himself. Perhaps he felt that the 'Rookie Of The Year' deserved an automatic pass?

They were all in for a rude awakening soon.

"Let me ask you a question. What does Konoha value above all in it's shinobi?"

All the three genin became thoughtful for a moment before answering.

"Bravery."

"De-de-determination."

"Power."

"Wrong. The answer is 'teamwork'. The very foundation of Konoha lies in its teamwork. The Nara, Akimichi and Yamanaka clans have been working together for generations along with the Sarutobi. The Aburame Clan is a living example of teamwork as they live in a symbiotic relationship with their Kikaichu. The Inuzuka Clan works with their nin-dog partners. The Uchiha and the Senju, who were once bitter enemies, worked together and helped create the strongest hidden village of all. That is why Konoha values teamwork above all. Do you understand now?"

The three genin nodded with awestruck eyes.

"Excellent. It's time for your first mission-cum-training session. Follow me."

Danzo continued speaking as he lead them through a hallway.

"One of the most important skills for a shinobi to learn is the art of information gathering. The saying 'Knowledge is power' is especially true for ninja. Getting the right information and using it at the right time can mean the difference between success and failure of a mission. Because of this, your first mission will be one which will introduce you to the basics of this art."

He ushered them into a room and pointed a table.

Not being able to help herself, Hinata squealed. The table had three white, fluffy rabbits.

"Sometimes, Konoha accepts missions to look after and protect certain animals whose body parts are used in medicines. Usually, these animals are very exotic and require special care. Your task is to look after them for two days. You have to research yourselves on how to take care of these animals. Pick one of them and your mission will begin."

Sasuke and Naruto looked disgruntled at not having an exciting mission to perform. Hinata was looking extremely pleased and was cuddling her chosen pet.

"Don't worry, boys. The mission you'll be doing after this one will be pretty exciting."

Naruto's voice piped up as usual, "Danzo-sensei, tell us what it'll be. At least give us a clue."

He replied with a smirk on his face, "Think about the central aspect of a shinobi's life, the actions he performs. The next mission will introduce you to that."

Naruto was scratching his head in confusion. Sasuke stared at Danzo, mind racing a mile a minute, before realizing what Danzo was implying and his eyes widened. He stared at the old man for a few seconds before grunting in acknowledgement. Hinata was too busy cooing at her new pet to think on Danzo's words.

"You may leave now. Come back here in two days at the same time to receive your next mission. Bring your new charges with you."

XXX

Inuzuka Hana had just returned from the Hokage's office after reporting her mission completion. She then took her canine partners and left them with the rest of the nin-dogs. She was hungry, tired and sore. She needed a hot bath and she wanted it now. Her talk with her mother could wait a little longer.

==(Thirty minutes later)==

A fed-and-watered Hana knocked on her mother's door. She began phrasing her question mentally when the door opened.

"What is it, Hana?"

"I met Jiraiya-sama on my last mission. He was able to identify me when I was transformed. He said it was partly due to the origin of our clan techniques. What does that mean, mom?"

Inuzuka Tsume was silent for a moment before she grimaced, "I was going to wait to tell you until both you and Kiba were old enough. I'm only doing this once, so you're explaining all this to your brother when he turns fifteen. Are you okay with that?"

Hana nodded.

"Very well, then. Come in and sit down. This might take a while."

XXX

Hatake Kakashi cursed Asuma to the heavens as he walked back to his house.

After he had resolved to stop wallowing in the past, the first thing he decided to do was step up his training. Strenuous physical training always helped take one's mind off things.

It was with a heavy heart that he scheduled bi-weekly spars with his friend and self-proclaimed-rival, Maito Gai.

Kakashi shivered as he remembered Gai's bonding session with what looked like to be a smaller clone of him. Now _that _should be placed in the Forbidden Scroll of Seals. It would definitely inflict trauma unlike any other.

He shook his head as he entered his house. He'd better get some sleep. He was going to need it for his first training session the next day.

XXX

==(Two days later)==

Naruto, Hinata and Sasuke walked up to Danzo's door and knocked. All of them carried their rabbits with them.

Two days earlier, after receiving their first mission, they had gone to the local pet store and the civilian library to get information on how to take care of rabbits. After collecting tips and checking out pet care books, they went back to their homes, eager to complete their first mission successfully.

After their sensei let them in, he ushered them into the backyard which formed a small training ground. He asked them to deliver their mission reports. Naruto went first.

"Danzo-sensei, I named my rabbit Usagi-chan. I fed him carrots and cabbage three times a day. I also checked him for any sickness. He's fine and healthy."

Hinata was next, "Se-sensei, I named mine Shi-shiro-kun. Apart from that, I did the same things as Naruto."

Sasuke was last, "I did the same things as they did. My rabbit... I named him Itachi."

"Oi, Sasuke. Are you an idiot? Why would you name a rabbit after something that eats rabbits!(1)"

Naruto was quickly shut up with a rap on his head from Danzo's cane.

"I am disappointed in the two of you, Hyuuga, Uzumaki. It seems that among the three of you, the Uchiha was the only one who understood one of the points of this exercise."

Hinata was the one who voiced the question, "What do you mean, Danzo-sensei?"

Danzo didn't answer for a moment. Sasuke's tension was palpable and he had paled slightly. The other two members of Team Seven stared at the two of them in confusion, wondering what Sasuke had realized about this mission that they hadn't.

Danzo began to speak, "This brings me to the next mission. Tell me, Uchiha, what is the central aspect of a shinobi's life?"

Sasuke spoke in a barely audible whisper, "Death."

"Right answer. Team Seven, your next mission is this: Kill your own rabbits."

Naruto and Hinata froze up with shock at what they were being ordered to do.

Sasuke gritted his teeth and with a pained grimace, snapped the neck of his rabbit, killing it instantly.

Danzo nodded approvingly, "Well done, Uchiha. You have passed the second genin test and are now a true ninja of Konoha."

Sasuke started as he hadn't figured out that their sensei had been testing them. He promptly flopped down onto the grass as his legs seemed incapable of holding him up. He was taking deep breaths and trying to steady his shaking hands.

Naruto then shouted, "Sensei, what do you mean by that? You said we had already passed!"

The old man turned towards him and fixed him with a cold stare. It was then that Team Seven knew that this man was nothing like what they had seen the other day. This man was vicious, cold and calculating. He was a monster, a killer, a true ninja.

"I just did something that all shinobi do, Uzumaki."

Team Seven listened with bated breath as the corners of his mouth turned up in a smirk, "I lied."

* * *

><p><strong><span>Foot Notes:<span>**

1: 'Itachi' means 'Weasel' in Japanese.**  
><strong>

**Author's Notes:**

I've borrowed the idea for the rabbits from lord of the land of fire's 'The Flashing Dagger Technique'. He writes some awesome stuff; worth many, many reads.

It might seem like I'm praising Sasuke a little too much at the end, but don't flame me. His own shortcomings will be explained soon.

Review, please. I need opinions.


	7. Chapter 6

**Author's Notes:**

Thanks to everyone who reviewed!**  
><strong>

**POLL ALERT**

I've decided to work on another story in my free time. Updates to that story will be sporadic until I finish this story. The ideas for these stories are explained in the 'My Ideas' section of my profile. Read through them and place your vote on the poll in my profile. You have upto three choices. Choose Well!

The poll will remain open until I upload Chapter 10.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 6<br>**

Danzo's low voice cut through the silence like a hot knife through butter, "What did you think the life of a shinobi was about, Uzumaki? Did you think that you would be saving princesses, beating up 'bad guys' and protecting innocent people from bandits?"

A slow nod was his only reply.

"Sorry to disappoint you then. The life of a ninja revolves only around two things: deceit and death. I've already introduced you to the former. Now, it's time for the latter."

Naruto could only croak out a "Why?"

"Why? Because you needed to know. The Hyuuga and you are too trusting and naive. Better you learn your lesson now rather than later when it might be too late. Would you rather one of your teammates died because you took a stranger's words at their face value? Remember this, all three of you. Assume that anyone except those closest to you is lying. Never believe them. Always expect the unexpected. This guideline will be invaluable to you as ninja. You may proceed."

Naruto began shouting, "No, I won't kill Usagi-chan! I don't need to kill to be a ninja!"

Danzo remained silent for a moment, "Fine then Uzumaki. You need not kill... Usagi-chan."

Naruto smiled, "Thank you, sensei."

"Just hand over your forehead protector and leave. You will no longer be a ninja of Konoha."

The smile slid off his face as Danzo continued, "When you're a ninja, you do not have the freedom to pick and choose your missions. If the Hokage orders you to kill someone in their sleep, you do it. If he orders you to slit the throat of a month-old child, you do it. If he orders to you to raze a village to the ground, you do it. Refusing to do so will land you in prison or even get you executed."

"You're lying. Ojji-san won't accept missions like-"

"Grow up, Uzumaki. Konoha is a ninja village just like any other. We kill, maim, murder and torture to survive. We just do not reveal this in the Academy or to the civilians to maintain our humane image. As you grow in the ranks, the number of missions which require you to dirty your hands will increase exponentially. If you can't even kill a rabbit, how will you kill a human being?"

"But I looked after Usagi-chan for two days..."

"That means nothing to me. What would you do if one your close friends betrayed Konoha? Imagine your sensei, Iruka, becomes a traitor."

Naruto replied hotly, "Iruka-sensei would never-" before a rap on his head stopped him.

"Do not interrupt. I said 'Imagine', keep that in mind. The Hokage orders you to hunt him down and kill him. Can you refuse the mission? No, you can't. You have to see it through to the end. You may hate the Hokage for giving you the mission and yourself for accepting it, but it has to be completed. I repeat again. If you can't even kill this rabbit, how will you kill Iruka?"

Naruto paled as he considered the situation. He tried to evade the question by giving one of his standard answers, "When I become Hokage, I will not-"

"Uzumaki, do you even know what it truly means to be a Kage?"

"Being a Kage means that you are the strongest and most respected ninja in the village."

"That is only a part of being a Kage, Uzumaki. A Kage's life... is one of sacrifice, not one of enjoyment."

"What do you mean by that, sensei?"

"A Kage's major responsibility is to protect his village. He makes decisions, he assigns missions, he orders ninja to their deaths for one purpose only: to strengthen his village. When you're a Kage, you have to accept whatever mission requests come to you in order to maintain your village's economy. Let me tell you what would happen if Konoha does not accept certain types of missions, for example, assassinations. We would lose over twenty percent of our revenue."

Team Seven looked surprised at this. They hadn't known that such a sizable chunk of Konoha's income came from assassination missions.

"Considering my earlier question to you, Uzumaki, what would happen if you do not order the death of that traitorous friend of yours? It is highly probable that he would reveal Konoha's secrets to other ninja villages for money or to save himself. What would happen then if a war broke out? Do you know the answer, Uzumaki? What about you, Hyuuga?"

A shocked Naruto shook his head. He had always wanted to be Hokage, but he had never really thought about the responsibilities he would have to take on. Could he really do it? Could he order the death of his friends if they betrayed Konoha? Could he order ninja on suicide missions to ensure Konoha's continued existence? He searched himself for an answer. He couldn't find any.

He was shaken out of his musings by the trembling voice of Hyuuga Hinata, "Th-they would use our own sec-secrets against us, sensei."

Danzo nodded approvingly.

'I suppose she would be able to figure it out, given what Kumo tried nine years ago' he said to himself.

"Now do you understand, Uzumaki? What the responsibilities of a Kage are? Do you feel that you can take those responsibilities on?"

"I don't know, sensei. I can try."

"There is no such thing as 'try'. There is either 'do' or 'do not'.(1)"

Naruto nodded, looking downcast at Danzo's words, "You think that I can't do it, don't you, sensei?"

Danzo frowned, "When did I say that? You definitely have the potential. All you need is the willingness to work hard, which you already have, a good head on your shoulders, which you have but don't use often and someone willing to guide you, which is where I come in."

Naruto's head jerked up so fast there was an audible crack of his neck, "You mean it, sensei?"

"I do. But I will not guide you if you maintain your current attitude. You might become strong enough to be Hokage, but your reasons are completely wrong. It is because of that you will never be named Hokage."

Naruto indignantly shouted, "What's wrong with my reasons? I'm going to be Hokage so that the village will acknowledge me."

"Precisely. A person is eligible to be Hokage only when his ultimate goal is to protect Konoha. You wish to become Hokage for personal gain and selfishness. You will have to change your attitude if you want to stand a chance of being named as the leader and protector of this village. Are you willing to do that, Uzumaki?"

Naruto thought for a moment. He realized that what his sensei said was the truth. While he couldn't give up his dream to be acknowledged, he would set a new goal for himself. Protect Konoha at all costs. He looked up at Danzo, fire shining in his eyes and nodded.

"Good. However, I cannot teach you unless you show me you have what it takes to be a ninja."

Naruto shoulders sagged and his eyes dimmed a bit as he reached into his weapon holster and drew out a kunai, hand trembling with trepidation. He took a deep breath and steeled himself.

"I guess this is it, Usagi-chan. Thank you."

He brought his kunai down in a flash and plunged it right through the rabbit's neck. A few short spasms and a whole lot of blood later, Usagi-chan was lifeless.

"Well done, Uzumaki. Now, it's your turn, Hyuuga."

Hinata had almost decided to turn in her forehead protector and give up being a ninja when Naruto had killed his rabbit. She had known that Naruto would have done it, of course. He was too strong a person to let something like this deny him his dream. However, she wasn't him.

_"I am not concerned if she dies. I have no need for a weak successor" _she remembered the harsh words of her father four years ago as he had sent her off with Kurenai to join the academy. Words that repeated themselves in her head over and over again as her hands went up to untie her forehead protector.

Naruto and Sasuke stared disbelievingly as Hinata's hands reached right up to her neck. Then she froze.

Hinata was feeling a myriad of emotions right now. Happiness, for both Naruto and Sasuke. Sadness, as she would have to give up her dream to be acknowledged by her clan. Fear, thinking of what her father would do to her when he found out. But the one that stood out the most was anger. Something that was unnatural to her. Anger, at her father, for not believing in her. Anger, at Danzo, for ordering her to do this. But, most of all, anger at herself for being so weak that she could not stand up for her dreams.

A sudden, unexpected surge of determination welled up within her. She would prove her father wrong! She would become a strong ninja of Konoha, one that he would be proud of! She would be acknowledged by Naruto, as a teammate and a friend! One he could count on to have his back!

She performed a well-practised sequence of fourteen hand seals and activated the Bloodline Limit of the Hyuuga, the Byakugan. Her eyes bored into her rabbit's head and found the location of the spinal cord. A delicate hand glowing with chakra shot out and severed it, killing the rabbit painlessly and unmarked. The Byakugan was then deactivated.

Hinata raised her hand to her eyes in shock, as if she couldn't believe what she had done. She collapsed, chest heaving, tears flowing as the reality of what she had just done hit her.

After crying her heart out for what seemed like ages, but was actually ten minutes, she gathered herself and wiped off her tears. She couldn't put her finger on it, but something had changed within her. Until now, her father had always said that she would amount to nothing and she had believed him. But with what she had done just now, she knew that she was capable of much more. Come hell or high water, she would achieve it! Shiro-kun would not have died for nothing, then. She owed it to him.

"How are you feeling, Hinata-chan?" asked Naruto, concern showing in his eyes. Sasuke tried not to show it, but there was a worried look in his eyes too.

Hinata nodded, "I'll be o-okay. Naruto-kun, Sasuke-kun... th-thank you."

Any further discussion was interrupted by the sound of a cane tapping on the floor of the porch. All heads turned towards Danzo as he beckoned them to sit in front of him.

"Well done, all three of you. You have passed the test and become true genin of Konoha."

Team Seven collectively sat up straight, eager to hear what would come next.

"I will begin by talking about each one of your flaws and how we will be addressing them. I will begin with you, Hyuuga."

Hinata winced, preparing herself for a harsh critique. She might have known him only for two days, but she had already realised that he wasn't one to sugarcoat his words.

"You have potential, Hyuuga, but you lack confidence and do not like to inflict harm upon others. Because of this, your taijutsu is not as good as it should be. Your stamina and endurance is greater than almost everyone else in your class, beaten only by your teammates and the Inuzuka boy. The rest of your skills are adequate, although not yet up to my standards. You will need training in hardening your heart to become an effective kunoichi."

He then turned to Sasuke, "You, Uchiha, are definitely skilled and hard working. However, you are arrogant and prideful. You do not like the idea of working with your teammates, correct? Otherwise you would have told them about your suspicions regarding the rabbits. You fixate on gaining revenge for your clan, forgetting that you are a ninja of Konoha first and an Uchiha next. You lose your temper when certain topics are brought up, reducing your effectiveness as a shinobi. You will be great once I beat that arrogance out of you."

Sasuke had been getting angrier by the second at Danzo's accusations and he had almost attacked him when his sensei pointed out his anger problem. He cursed as he struggled to bring his temper under control. He knew that an angry ninja made mistakes, which could cost him his life.

"Finally, we have you, Uzumaki. Atrocious chakra control, barely passable taijutsu and unable to break even the simplest genjutsu. Add a lack of patience, no emotional control and absolutely no theoretical knowledge whatsoever and you have a recipe for an utter failure. On the other hand, you have immense chakra reserves and an natural talent for trap-making and stealth. You could become one of the strongest ninja in the Leaf, but you'll need to work yourself to the bone to do so."

Danzo waited for whatever he had said to sink in before he continued, "We will begin your training tomorrow. I will send messengers to your houses in the morning to inform you of when and where we will have our training sessions."

His demeanor suddenly changed drastically. The slight tensing of certain muscle groups in his body changed him from an old man into something akin to a dangerous predator, one sizing them up like a piece of meat. Team Seven found themselves breathless and unable to move.

"I will warn you right now, my training will be harsh. You _will_ improve, both in your ninja skills and in your attitudes, because if you don't, my punishments will be severe. You will curse me, hate me and wish I was dead for as long as you are my students. But you will join the ranks of the elite by the time you are eighteen. If you don't, you will not survive my training. It's as simple as that."

Team Seven collectively shivered as the oppressive feeling vanished. This man... he was something else.

"I have another training mission for you."

The three genin collected themselves and waited for him to elaborate.

"Every genin team that is formed is created with a specific purpose in mind. I want the three of you to find out what your purpose is. Consider your individual abilities, think of what they could mean when put together. Research previous teams in the ninja library. Use what resources you have to. You have three days to come up with an answer. Dismissed."

A collective chorus of "Hai, sensei" was heard before they left.

Danzo stood up and began to walk inside. He paused on the threshold of his door.

"I guess we will be seeing you soon, Weasel?" he said, to no one in particular.

A nondescript crow took off into the sky from a nearby tree.

XXX

Uchiha Itachi opened his eyes from his trance. There was a hint of anger in his normally emotionless eyes. The crows he had left back in Konoha to watch over Sasuke three years ago had brought back some very disturbing information.

'I guess it's time to drop in for a visit. You'd better have an explanation, Hokage-sama. If you don't, heads will roll and secrets will start flying.'

XXX

Danzo went into his bedroom and laid down on his bed. He sighed as he could finally relax. Using Kotoamatsukami took a lot out of him.

The Hyuuga girl had absolutely no backbone and no confidence in herself. She definitely would have given up where it not for his... suggestions.

Her abilities were needed to complete the team. He couldn't allow her to leave. That he had to influence her was unfortunate, but essential.

The belief that she had accomplished something on her own will help her grow. She would never know that all that anger, that determination had never been her own. He would take that secret with him to his grave.

He didn't regret it, not one bit. Shisui had entrusted him with his eye to strengthen Konoha, after all.

* * *

><p><strong><span>Foot Notes:<span>**

1: Quoted Yoda, I did. Any problem with it, you shall not have.

**Author's Notes:**

It has been revealed. Danzo has Shisui's Mangekyo Sharingan. However, his arm is not the same as in canon. He has not implanted the eyes or tissue of dead ninja. More will be revealed in later chapters.

**My thoughts on Danzo having Shisui's eye in canon:**

Shisui was one of the strongest members of the Uchiha Clan, possibly stronger than Itachi at the time of his death. They showed Shisui with an empty bleeding eye socket, yes. But the rest of his face was unmarked. If Danzo had taken his eye forcibly, the battle would've attracted a lot of attention. I feel that Shisui willingly gave his right eye to Danzo so that he would use it to protect Konoha. His other eye, of course, went to Itachi. It is most likely he asked Itachi to kill him and take his eye, so that Itachi would gain the Mangekyo and finish his mission with its help. Thoughts?

Those who guessed that Danzo used Shisui's technique on Hinata, congratulations. Don't tell me though, I won't be believing you. *wink*

Read and review, people!


	8. Chapter 7

**Author's Notes:**

My apologies for the late update. I was very busy with academic issues.

Thanks to everyone who reviewed!**  
><strong>

**POLL ALERT**

I've decided to work on another story in my free time. Updates to that story will be sporadic until I finish this story. The ideas for these stories are explained in the 'My Ideas' section of my profile. Read through them and place your vote on the poll in my profile. You have upto three choices. Choose Well!

The poll will remain open until I upload Chapter 10.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 7<strong>

It was a wonderful morning in Konohagakure. The sun was shining and the birds were chirping. The villagers were just waking up, the ninja were ambling around, talking idly and gravitating towards their favorite breakfast joints. There were just two things wrong with this scene.

One, Nara Shikamaru was awake nearly three hours before his preferred wake up time. Second, he and his teammates were running for their lives.

Their sensei, Mitarashi Anko, had decided to combine their stamina training and dodging practice into one exercise. It mainly consisted of her chasing them around Training Ground Ten, chucking kunai and shuriken at them.

"Run, little maggots! Show me how much you can take!"

Ino yelped as a kunai flew past her, giving her a shallow cut on her left arm. Now, she had one on each limb.

'Insane bitch!' she cursed as she ran at top speed.

Chouji was having the worst time of it all. He presented a very large target and Anko took full advantage of it. He huffed and puffed as he tried to move his not-so-inconsiderable weight as fast as he could, flinching when the occasional projectile would place a cut on him.

The three genin finally ran out of energy as they collapsed on the grass. They took deep gulps of sweet air, trying to lessen the strain on their sides and the ache in their limbs.

Anko gave them five minutes.

"All right, brats! Break time's over. Time for taijutsu practice."

A barely audible voice groaned, "Troublesome."

XXX

Team Eight was currently undergoing their own training in Training Ground Eight. Their mentor, Yuuhi Kurenai, had joined them on a warm-up session, with a steady jog and some stretching exercises. After that, she made them spar against each other to get a general feel for their skills. It went just as she had expected.

When it came to taijutsu, Kiba was the best. His clan style was very offensive and he used his nin-dog partner, Akamaru, to distract the opponent very well. His ninjutsu skills were above average and genjutsu skills were barely passable. He was the one who had managed to land a hit on her as part of her genin test.

Her thoughts went to her next student. Sakura had learned the academy taijutsu style perfectly. Her punches, blocks, kicks and counters were textbook perfect. The problem with her was that she didn't possess the physical strength required to use it effectively. Her chakra reserves were about average, but her control was excellent. She also had a sharp intellect and a photographic memory. She had come up with a simple, yet effective strategy to pass their genin test.

Her third student, Shino, was an enigma. He spoke the bare minimum, his academy skills were just about average and he showed no emotions whatsoever. However, he was the one who had deduced that they had to work together by applying logic to her statements. He had also shown excellent skill in manipulating his Kikaichu bugs to surround and distract her while Kiba landed a hit. She idly wondered if all Aburame were like him. She had never worked with them much.

Beckoning to them to follow her, she led them to a patch of trees. She decided to work on their chakra control first.

"Good job, team. Let's begin your training."

Kiba shouted enthusiastically, "Awesome! Let us have it, sensei! We'll master it in no time, won't we, boy?"

"Yip!" barked Akamaru in response.

Sakura giggled. All the girls in class had fallen in love with the cute little puppy on the day her teammate had first brought him to class. She knelt down on the prickly grass and began to pet him as she waited for her teacher to elaborate.

Shino just nodded.

Kurenai gave them a warm smile, "Do any of you know how to climb trees?"

XXX

Team Seven were waiting for their sensei in Training Ground Seven. They had been summoned there by a masked ninja early in the morning. After having a light breakfast, they had met up near the Uchiha clan houses and walked together to their training ground.

This training ground was similar to most of Konoha's other training grounds. It was a large clearing formed within a small forest of tall trees. The ground was covered with fresh green grass, damp with the morning dew. A small lake filled with clear water was located at one corner of the clearing.

The one thing setting this particular place apart from the others was an inconspicuous path in one corner of clearing. This path led to The Memorial Stone, the monument that held the names of Konoha ninja who died in action.

The three genin had been waiting for about five minutes when their sensei arrived in a puff of smoke. After exchanging the customary greetings, he sent them to run laps around the clearing as a warm up. Once they were done, he made them do some stretching exercises to prepare their bodies for what was to come next.

"We will begin with team training. Your task... is to survive."

"Huh?" was all the genin were able to get out before he seemed to vanish from his spot and appeared instantly in front of them, holding a kunai at Sasuke's throat.

They leaped back in surprise, stumbling as they tried to understand what had just happened.

'So fast! I didn't even see him move, let alone draw his kunai! He's even faster than father!'

'Scary... and awesome!'

'That.. wasn't the Body Flicker Technique. It was pure speed. He's as fast as Itachi was!'

Naruto flinched as he felt a sharp pain on his left cheek. He touched his hand to the area only to find blood dripping from his fingers. He was shocked as he stared at Danzo, who was standing in the exact same position as before.

"Be-behind us" came the shocked voice of Hyuuga Hinata. He turned his head and looked back; Three senbon were stuck around a third of the way in different trees.

'Hang on.. three?' he thought to himself.

Glancing at Hinata and Sasuke, he saw that they had fine cuts on their cheeks too. Their sensei had drawn and flicked three senbon at them so fast that they hadn't even noticed it!

He gulped as Danzo began speaking, "I will fight you as an enemy. Treat me as such. If you do not fight back, you will die. Come at me with the intent to kill. Let's see what the Uchiha, Hyuuga and Uzumaki are made of."

Naruto looked first at Sasuke, then at Hinata. The former had a faraway look in his eyes, as if he was looking at someone else, and had clenched his fists. Hinata had broken out into a sweat and was trembling with shock.

Whether it was bravery or foolishness, he couldn't tell as he drew a kunai and yelled, "I'll kick your ass, Dattebayo!"

His shout seemed to shake his teammates out of their thoughts as the Uchiha drew a kunai in one hand and three shuriken in the other. The Hyuuga performed a set of hand seals and activated her bloodline limit.

"Byakugan"

Veins bulged around her eyes as she stood in a textbook Gentle Fist stance; The deadly taijutsu style of the Hyuuga Clan.

"Shadow Clone Technique!"

Twenty clones surrounded Naruto, each one of them holding a kunai just like the original.

'Shadow clones?' was the thought that ran through Sasuke's head before he pushed it aside. There were much more important things to worry about.

Twenty one Narutos rushed their sensei with a loud battle cry, who stood calmly.

Sasuke and Hinata hesitated for a moment, before joining in.

It took Danzo all of seven seconds to dismantle their attack.

The three genin groaned as they sat up. Naruto had received a gash along his right arm when he blocked Danzo's kunai, Hinata's lip was bleeding from a kick to the face and Sasuke was choking from a carefully controlled palm strike to his throat.

"Uzumaki, you have decent power behind your punches and reaction times are excellent. However, your strikes are wild and very predictable. Keep your limbs closer to your body and extend them to attack only when you're within striking distance of your opponent. You also created too many shadow clones as they interfered with each other. On top of all that, you rushed in with a battle cry, giving away your intentions to me. A ninja is never loud. You must be silent, and plan your attacks instead of attacking directly."

"Hyuuga, your strikes were well timed and accuracy was spot on. But you aimed only to disable even when I told you to try and kill me. Learn how to harden your heart; A soft ninja is a dead ninja."

"Uchiha, your skills with shuriken and taijutsu are excellent. However, you let your frustration control your strikes. When your first attack didn't work, instead of retreating and planning, you rushed in head on, leading to your defeat."

"Finally, when it comes to the true point of this exercise, you failed miserably."

The young ninja looked up at him in confusion.

"None of you three attacked as a team. All of you attacked on your own without a plan."

Sasuke managed to sputter out, "You didn't give us any time to plan-"

"Your enemies won't give you any warnings or time. If you need time, make it yourself. Distract the opponent, confuse him. When he's occupied, get away and form your plan. Now, stand up. We will attempt this again."

The time flew as Team Seven attempted to land a hit on their sensei. They tried everything in their arsenal; Some textbook ninja strategies, unorthodox ones, even outrageous plans cooked up by Naruto. He would beat them effortlessly on each try, but the time he took to do it was slowly increasing. After every defeat, he would tell them exactly what they did wrong and give them tips on how to correct their mistakes.

"That's enough for now. You may take a break."

The three genin collapsed to the ground, exhausted. This last session was particularly harsh. Danzo had not pulled his punches. Sasuke had a dislocated wrist and he was pretty sure at least three ribs were cracked. Naruto's right forearm was broken and he had a deep gash across his chest. Hinata was covered in bruises and cuts all over.

They watched as Danzo summoned a masked ninja.

"Heal them."

Sighs of relief were heard as bones healed and cuts closed. The ninja who treated them left as soon as she finished, without waiting for their thanks.

Hinata was fascinated by how quickly her wounds had been healed. She had been interested in medicine for a long time. She was particularly skilled with preparing one specific balm, which she used quite often. She made up her mind to ask Danzo for medical training later.

She shook her head as her teammates opened their lunch boxes. It was time for a well deserved meal.

XXX

The Toad Sage, Jiraiya, was very happy.

He had arrived that morning in Konoha as Sarutobi-sensei had asked. He took a little detour to the hot spring baths and proceeded to peep on the women's section till noon. The women in there were just begging to be ogled! Sensei wouldn't mind. It would all go into his next book, anyway.

He rubbed his palms together in anticipation when a beauty walked in with only a towel wrapped around her torso. Her skin had the complexion of a fresh peach, her long, purple hair reached down to her slender hips and her small lips were set in a natural pout.

He began scribbling in his notebook as she removed her towel, revealing a toned, lissome figure. He just couldn't help it; He giggled lecherously.

The woman, hearing him, spun towards his section of the wall with a furious look on her gorgeous face. He caught a glimpse of her right shoulder and blanched as the traditional tattoo of the ANBU stood out on her fair skin. He disappeared in a swirl of leaves. If he had stayed any longer, he would've been in danger of losing his manhood.

Another swirl of leaves marked the ending of his Body Flicker technique as he appeared on the platform just outside his mentor's window. He hopped in and greeted the Hokage, "Sarutobi-sensei, I have come, just as you asked. Is this about Naruto?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen smiled as he bade Jiraiya to have a seat across him.

"Yes, it is. I have made a decision that you probably won't like. I only ask that you listen to my reasons first before condemning me."

"Very well"

"It all started on the night Naruto graduated..."

XXX

It was five o' clock in the evening when Danzo finally dismissed Team Seven. For an hour after they had finished lunch, he had introduced the topic of social protocol and how a ninja must interact both with clients and other ninja. It took Naruto quite a while to realize he couldn't go calling the Hokage 'Ojji-san' unless they were alone, even if the old man was like a grandfather to him.

Their mentor then proceeded to explain the importance of chakra control.

Hinata already knew this since the Gentle Fist taijutsu style demanded excellent chakra control. Naruto and Sasuke were not too happy until their sensei had rapped them on the head and mentioned how they'd never be able to perform higher level techniques unless they gained proper control over their chakra.

Thus, Team Seven had spent four hours walking up and down trees with leaves stuck to their foreheads and palms. Hinata had finished the exercise first, but continued doing it because Danzo told her it would build up her chakra reserves.

Sasuke had managed to clear about a third of his tree and Naruto a quarter when Danzo called them to him. He then handed them each of them a scroll.

"While your current attire is acceptable for academy students, it is woefully inadequate as ninja wear; For training as well as missions. In each of these scrolls, three sets of clothing fit for genin are sealed along with a ninjato. Henceforth, whenever you're on duty or training, these are what you will be wearing. I will not accept any alterations except the addition of your clan symbol. Is that understood?"

They hastily nodded as his cold gaze made it quite clear: They had no choice. Naruto especially, was put out as he wouldn't be able to wear his favorite orange jumpsuit anymore.

"Excellent. You may get them repaired or replaced at the Konoha ninja armory if needed. Dismissed."

Hinata hung back as the two boys walked away. She had to ask Danzo about helping her with medical training.

XXX

Naruto had been wondering what Hinata wanted to speak to their sensei about as he walked home.

His thoughts were interrupted by a chuunin who appeared in a puff of smoke.

'I know this guy. He's... Ojji-san's assistant! What does he want with me, dattebayo?'

"Uzumaki-san, Hokage-sama requires your presence immediately."

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><p><strong>Author's Notes:<strong>

As you may notice, I'm not showing too much of speech between the members of Team Seven. That is intentional; I don't like writing in stutters and adding a "dattebayo" in every other sentence. There will be a few more chapters that deal with training. Then, the missions!

There will be a lot more interaction between the people then.

Read and review, people. You know the drill!


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